John 1:12-13
"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
I know this is a repeat verse from last year but it is something that is really on my heart to share...
I hear people say all the time that "We are all God's children" and "God loves all his kids." I usually hear this as a defense for some behavior or a lifestyle that is considered sin by the Bible.
The thing that we have to realize is that "Yes" we are all God's created beings and "Yes" He does love each and every one of us, BUT (here it comes) He does not and will not condone sin. Just because it seems right to someone or "feels right" does not make it right. If it did, we would never prosecute child molesters, rapists, thieves, muggers, etc. All these people either feel right doing what they do or they are just doing something they like.
This verse is very clear as to who is actually "God's Children." We have to believe in His name (Jesus Christ) and receive Him as our Lord and Savior. Now you can't say that you have done that and still continue living in sin. It does not work that way.
Jesus spoke repeatedly about "bearing fruit" as being evidence of salvation and a relationship with Him and as written in 1 John 1:5-7 "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. "
We cannot love Jesus and love sin. We cannot walk with Christ and walk in sin.
Are we perfect? No. But there is a difference in "sinning" and "living in sin" deliberately. It is a matter of the heart. If you have Christ in you, you will not want to sin or to live outside of His will or against his Word.
The reason I am writing this is because there are people out there and people I care about that think they are going to heaven just because they said a prayer or they simply believe in God. Even Satan and his demons believe in God! (James 2:19)
So many people think that as long as they "have faith in faith" they are okay. By that I mean as long as we believe in something, we will be alright. If you actually think about that, you will realize it is absurd. If three people believe in three different gods and they all die, will they all go to each of their gods? Of course not! That is ridiculous.
If I make up a god and carve an image out of wood and pray to it and make offerings to it, will it provide my salvation? Will it cleanse me of my sin? Will it grant me eternity? I think you understand the answer.
God gives us this example in Habakkuk 2:16
"What profit is the image, that its maker should carve it,
The molded image, a teacher of lies,
That the maker of its mold should trust in it,
To make mute idols?
Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’
To silent stone, ‘Arise! It shall teach!’
Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,
Yet in it there is no breath at all. "
Remember this:
Psalm 96:5 "For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the Lord made the heavens."
Isaiah also tells us of the day when mankind will cast down there made up "feel good" gods and will face the living and true God.
Isaiah 2:20-21
"In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver
And his idols of gold,
Which they made, each for himself to worship,
To the moles and bats,
To go into the clefts of the rocks,
And into the crags of the rugged rocks,
From the terror of the Lord
And the glory of His majesty,
When He arises to shake the earth mightily. "
Isaiah also repeats this in chapter 31 verse 7. Trust me, if God repeated himself to Isaiah, IT IS IMPORTANT!!!
My point is this...no matter what may feel right, no matter if we think we are born a certain way or we blame it on our parents or bad genes or whatever, remember Jesus said that no one will see Heaven unless they are BORN AGAIN. Not born of the flesh, but born of the Spirit of God that comes through salvation. (John 3)
There are so many of you that I know are not following the Lord and I care about each and every one of and that is my sole purpose for posting this. I am not here to bash anyone, judge anyone personally, ridicule or be hateful to anyone. If you are offended by anything I have said, understand that it is not my words that offend, it is the Lord's. I am just sharing them.
I will be posting a post each week that explains how everyone is a sinner and needs Jesus and how to come to salvation. It is called the "Romans Road" because each verse comes out of the Book of Romans written by Paul the Apostle.
It is my hope and desire that the Holy Spirit will touch those that read this and lead them to repentance so you can enter into a loving relationship with the Creator of the universe and secure your eternal destination in Heaven.
Amen.
God Bless,
